Report: California still a force in wind power, but trails Texas in key areas

California, a world leader in wind energy development in the 1980s and 1990s, now ranks behind Texas in wind power capacity and industry jobs, according to the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association.

The AWEA’s annual report for 2013 says California led the nation in power capacity additions in 2013, adding 269 megawatts, but the state’s overall installed wind capacity of 5,829 megawatts is a distant second to Texas’ 12,354 megawatts.

AWEA said the number of California jobs directly and indirectly related to the wind energy industry in 2013 ranged from 3,001 to 4,000. Texas topped the nation with a range of 8,001 to 9,000 jobs.

California has 144 wind projects online, and AWEA said 6.6 percent of California’s electricity in 2013 came via wind systems.

By comparison, AWEA said Texas has 117 wind projects online, but the Lone Star State is home to six of the 10 largest wind farms in the United States. The national trade association said 8.3 percent of Texas’ electricity in 2013 was provided by wind-related systems.